Foundation Day Celebrations at Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital

Staff at Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital (SSEH) recently celebrated Foundation Day – an event held each year in October to commemorate when the building’s first stone was laid in 1811.

Jennie Barry, General Manager, Dr Pauline Rumma, Director of Clinical Services  and Natalie Maier, Director of Nursing and Support Services headed up the management team serving a barbecue lunch.

Staff mingled in the sunshine around the courtyard fountain as they enjoyed their lunch, as well as gelato and a photo booth.

Before the annual staff awards, SSEH’s head of Ophthalmology Professor Andrew Chang spoke about the hospital’s pioneering new Gadigal Eye Clinic.

Tenille Park shared a moving consumer’s perspective about a traumatic hand injury when she was 16. Tenielle said that the support she received from SSEH staff when she was a patient inspired her to pursue a career in social work.

The celebrations were completed with the announcement of the following awards:

• Nurse of the Year – Aldrich Montoya
• Anita Cobby Memorial Grant – Dr Therese Riley and Lynette Higgs
• Consumer Nominated Award – Emergency Department
• Innovation & Quality Improvement Award – Statewide Referral Criteria Implementation (Outpatients Department and Orthoptics Department)
• JMO of the Year Award – Dr Nicholas Moutsatsos
• Staff Achievement Award – Chantelle Robertson.